November 2016 - Page 2 of 2 -

5 Things I am Loving this Fall Season

Last week I shared a photo taken during a recent walk. I love walking during the fall and enjoying the cooler weather and beautiful colors. Fall is my favorite time of the year, and today I wanted to share 5 things I am loving this season. fall

Fitness with a Friend. Walking is my favorite form of exercise, but this fall season a friend and I decided to branch out a bit by signing up for a fitness class. We are taking a barre class once a week with a group of about 10 other women. I am loving the challenge this class provides and the added bonus of time with a dear friend.
Food. Pumpkin is the flavor of the season, am I right? I like to think that I was a fan of pumpkin before pumpkin became trendy. Pumpkin, you and I go waaaayyy back! Two of my favorite things to make with pumpkin are: pumpkin soup and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. I will share my pumpkin soup recipe soon. My favorite brand of pumpkin to use when making these recipes is Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin.

3. Fireside. We almost exclusively heat our small home with our wood stove. I love the heat it provides and the added bonus is the inviting ambience that is created by the crackling glow of the warm fire.

4. Fashion. One of my favorite fall fashion items is my GAP jean jacket. I’ve wanted a GAP jean jacket for a very long time, but the frugal side of me held back knowing it was more of a want than a need. A couple years ago I stumbled upon a GAP jean jacket on ThredUp. I was thrilled by the price and the quality. I love this jacket because of its versatility and comfort. I wear it with colored jeans, leggings and dresses; it always adds to my outfit when I can’t quite figure out what to add. I think I love this jacket even more because I didn’t just jump to an impulse buy. I knew I wanted it, but I waited and considered and waited until I finally found it on ThredUp. ThredUp is an online store that sells gently used clothing for women and kids. I have purchased over a dozen items from ThredUp in the past few years. If you purchase through my link you receive $10 off your first order (and I receive $10, too). http://www.thredup.com/r/SPNFUN Check it out!

5. Foliage. As I mentioned at the start of this post, I love walking in the fall and enjoying the sites. I also enjoy sitting at my table with a warm cup of tea and staring out the window at all the vibrant colors. Fall provides such a beautiful backdrop for my not so busy life!

What about you? What are you loving this fall season?

Until next time,

Charissa

(This post contains an affiliate link, so thenotsobusymom receives a very small commission if you make a purchase through this link.)

My Photo of the Week

I couldn’t help but snap a bunch of photos the other day including this one. One of my favorite walks in the fall goes right by a beautiful river which is surrounded by colorful trees. I, like many, love this season for so many reasons including the cooler weather and vibrant colors. Next week I will be sharing some of the things I am loving this fall, so stay tuned for that!

Quick Tip: Organize your Grocery List by Categories

dscn5529

I have found that if I organize my grocery list by categories I have an easier time remembering all that I want to include on my list, and the process of creating the list is quite simple and quick. The categories which help me when creating my list are: breakfast, lunch, dinner, veggies, fruits, drinks, snacks, and other. You know I’m a meal planner, so I also include my list of meals for the week at the bottom of my list. I like to write my list on a large piece of paper and try to keep it neat.

I am able to look at a category, like “breakfast”, and think through what we want to eat for breakfast that week. I list those items, and then move to the next category. I come to the end of the list and know that it is complete because I have an orderly way to accomplish this weekly task.

What about you? Do you use a grocery list?

Until next time,

Charissa

The 1 Question that has Helped me Become Less of a Procrastinator

getitdone

I have struggled with procrastination for many years. I can’t say that I procrastinate in all areas of life, but I do find that if I am feeling a bit overwhelmed or anxious about a task I don’t jump to complete it quickly. I want to break free from this tendency, so I have started asking myself one simple question that has helped me become less of a procrastinator. The simple question I ask is: “Will this task be easier 1 day/1 week/1 month from now?”

If I have to make a doctor’s appointment (and let me tell you, I hate to make phone calls) I ask myself, “Will this phone call be any easier a day from now?” If I have to complete paperwork I ask myself, “Will completing these forms be any easier a week from now?” If I have to clean out and organize my closet I ask, “Will this project be any easier a month from now?”

And you guessed it, the answer to this very simple question is almost always, “No!” No, waiting a day to make a phone call will not make it any easier. No, letting the paperwork sit one more week will not make it any easier. No, ignoring a messy closet for a month will not make cleaning it any easier.

When I ask myself this simple question and (always) arrive at a “no”, it pushes me to move forward with whatever (sometimes dreaded) task is before me. This is not an earth-shattering solution to the common problem of procrastination, but I have found it to be a help to me. I hope it can be a help to you, too!

What about you? Are you a procrastinator? Have you found ways to be less of a procrastinator?

Until next time,

Charissa

$2 DIY: Faux Succulent

I’m back with another DIY. I mentioned in my previous DIY post that I am not much of a DIYer. That is still true, but it hasn’t kept me from trying (very simply) to create nice items for a small cost. Dollar Tree is almost always my go-to when I am trying to keep the cost down.

At a recent trip to the Dollar Tree I found a faux succulent. I have purchased a couple of these in the past and found another after a few months of not finding any in the store.

The white has a nice clean look to it and is a complete upgrade from the ugly brown containers they previously sold, but I was leaning towards a different look.

My answer to change the look of the container? Duct tape! Do you sense a trend? I used duct tape in my previous DIY, too. I found a very cool duct tape design and thought it would be perfect for this project.

duct-tape

The tape totally caught my eye with its basket weave/burlap look. It’s so fun to find so many unique duct tape designs at the Dolllar Tree.

I cut pieces of the tape and carefully placed them around the sides of the white container. There was some overlap, but I worked slowly and smoothed corners and edges.

The end result was not perfect (but I’m not going for perfect). I was happy with the final result.

succulent succulent2

What about you? Have you attempted any DIY projects recently?

Until next time,

Charissa

How We Handle all that Halloween Candy

DSCN5472

Who doesn’t love candy? Well, I’m sure plenty of people don’t love candy, but I don’t know any of those people personally.

There are so many tasty, awesome variations of candy that you’re bound to find something you love. The love of candy is what makes Halloween so exciting for so many young people (and their parents who enjoy partaking from their children’s collection).

The amount of candy collected on Halloween can be overwhelming (and unnecessary). Can we say “cavities”? How should we, as parents, handle all this Halloween candy?

A Simple Idea

A few years ago a friend shared an idea that has totally shaped the way we handle candy in our home. Each of our children has a small plastic container. In this container they are able to put as much candy as they can fit. All other candy is put in the freezer, given away, or thrown out.

They can partake from their container when given permission. If another event comes up during the year and they receive candy, they can choose to swap out something “old” from their container with something new.

DSCN5477

We have been doing this with our children for years, so it’s really all they know. They don’t fight us on it; they are actually quite excited to go through their extra large stash, choose their favorites, and place them in their containers.

I hear a lot of parents grumbling about the amount of candy in their homes post-Halloween. If you don’t have a problem with your child finishing a pillowcase full of candy in a week, then this idea is not for you. If you are feeling, though, like you are drowning in candy and need a simple solution, might I suggest you consider this idea.

What about you? How do you handle all the Halloween candy?

Until next time,
Charissa

Continue reading “How We Handle all that Halloween Candy”